privatisation

Categories under privatisation

The SOE sell down three years on

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, February 7th, 2017 - 78 comments

Some time in the next 12 months it is likely that the forgone dividend payments and loss in share value from the Power Company shares and Air NZ share sale will be greater than the amount received, only three years after the sale.

National’s Rodeo.

Written By: - Date published: 12:21 pm, July 15th, 2016 - 23 comments

The fiction that National is doing a competent job of managing the economy is entirely due, now that the boom from Dairy and Christchurch rebuilding is ending, to immigration and rising house prices.

They are now riding a bolting horse that they cannot dismount, caused by their own inaction.

Screw democracy – Auckland to get the Canterbury treatment

Written By: - Date published: 7:24 am, May 28th, 2016 - 172 comments

It’s naked panic now. In response to the crisis that isn’t a crisis Key is going to overrule the council that his government created and screw over Auckland democracy just like he screwed over Canterbury. What do you think of that Aucklanders?

Arise, Sir Lynton

Written By: - Date published: 10:23 am, May 8th, 2016 - 28 comments

Lynton Crosby on his knees receiving a knighthood for services to conservative politics. To me, this really signals who is running the show, who is still running the show, and what their values are.

Flogging off Kiwibank

Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, March 31st, 2016 - 67 comments

Flogging off Kiwibank is not an option.

More blood on its hands as National Ltd™cuts mental health funding in Christchurch

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, February 16th, 2016 - 101 comments

‘ In between slurping simpers during his most recent session of MediaWorks virtual fellatio, John ‘The Liar’ Key managed to express concern for the emotional well being of Cantabrians after yet another earthquake rattled their region. Whether John Key is actually concerned is moot,  but he is certainly in a position to know there is real […]

Buying Awaroa beach

Written By: - Date published: 1:16 pm, February 10th, 2016 - 50 comments

“There is a pristine piece of beach and bush in the heart of the Abel Tasman up for private sale. Together we can buy it and gift it to NZ.”

Private group sells tickets to Prime Minister’s official speech

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, February 10th, 2016 - 56 comments

It has become clear that John Key’s recent SOTN speech was delivered to an audience that paid for the privilege of attending.

The great big list of John Key’s big fat lies (UPDATED)

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, January 27th, 2016 - 79 comments

How many more lies will John Key tell today in his so-called State of the Nation address? Virtual chocolate fish to whomever guesses the closest number.

Sayonara Serco

Written By: - Date published: 12:16 pm, December 9th, 2015 - 80 comments

Serco’s contract to run the Mt Eden Corrections Facility will not be renewed when it expires next year.

John Key’s hedge fund mate behind Teach First (NZ)

Written By: - Date published: 7:36 am, December 9th, 2015 - 195 comments

Julian Robertston, a US billionaire who made his money with hedge fund Tiger Management, Merryl Lynch’s largest customer when John Key was working there, is the man behind privatisation trojan horse Teach First (NZ).

Use of Teach First (NZ) illegal

Written By: - Date published: 8:02 am, December 7th, 2015 - 113 comments

To date, TeachFirst(NZ) has received more than $6.4 million dollars of public money and, as a result, has infested 18 schools with dozens of so-called “teachers”.

TiSA reduces COP21 to a charade

Written By: - Date published: 10:04 am, December 5th, 2015 - 13 comments

That National Ltd™ is currently in the process of giving away New Zealand’s sovereignty in areas such as energy resources and related regulations, explains its contempt for the environment and the talking down of expectations regarding climate change.

Jarrod Gilbert 1 – Windmills 0

Written By: - Date published: 7:09 am, November 29th, 2015 - 22 comments

About time the Police got around to becoming a “very evidence based” service. Building great relationships with academia is a sensible way to start.

Groser flips the bird to the Judiciary and NZ Laws

Written By: - Date published: 9:04 am, November 13th, 2015 - 13 comments

The Law? That’s not for Cabinet Members, the Law is for the lazy malcontents who don’t want to work hard.

Minister declined to comment…

Written By: - Date published: 2:59 pm, November 9th, 2015 - 9 comments

Isn’t it amazing how many Ministers can’t wait to front up to the media when they are selling. But when it comes to after sale service they just don’t want to front?

Where is Peseta Sam?

Written By: - Date published: 9:06 am, October 3rd, 2015 - 13 comments

This week we have had the release of the Priestley Report into the escape of Phillip Smith which details a litany of problems within Corrections and overnight there have been reports of rape and assault on a person moved from segregation in Serco managed South Auckland Correctional Facility.  But no sign of Corrections Minister Sam Lotu Iiga.  Where is he?

Housing Corp’s privatisation by stealth

Written By: - Date published: 7:47 am, September 22nd, 2015 - 15 comments

One News has discovered that over the past five years Housing Corporation has divested itself of 2,472 houses at the same time that the need for social housing has escalated.

Twelve long months

Written By: - Date published: 9:03 am, September 20th, 2015 - 103 comments

Twelve months on from the last election and that brighter future we were promised has not happened.

250 to 300 Job Losses at Unitec in Auckland

Written By: - Date published: 10:23 am, August 8th, 2015 - 84 comments

Under Unitec’s new vision students will be known as Customers. Student services will be outsourced (overseas)

Aspiration statement
To be a world leader in contemporary applied learning and an agent of positive economic and social change
.

It’s not just Serco, it’s state operated prisons

Written By: - Date published: 12:14 pm, July 25th, 2015 - 72 comments

Recent focus has been on the tragedy and incompetence of a Serco run private prison. But problems extend further than that, into the entire way NZ views its prison system. We need fundamental penal reform.

Failing Charter School punished by increase in funding

Written By: - Date published: 1:33 pm, July 24th, 2015 - 33 comments

The Friday afternoon bad news dump is on with news that Education Minister was recommended to close a poorly performing charter school.  She has elected not to do so and to instead give the school extra money.

Serco, Lotu-Iiga and the death of Nick Evans

Written By: - Date published: 9:36 am, July 23rd, 2015 - 69 comments

Nick Evans was alleged to have been dropped from a height while being supervised in a Serco run prison.  He was transferred to another prison and shortly after this died from injuries apparently inflicted from the dropping.  Yet there is no police investigation and Minister in charge Lotu-Iiga says the allegations are “unproven” without making the most basic of inquiries.

Serco should be sacked

Written By: - Date published: 4:50 pm, July 21st, 2015 - 46 comments

Video from the urgent debate today in Parliament concerning Serco and that company’s failure to abide by basic standards of imprisonment.

New Powers to Ministers to screw Iwi

Written By: - Date published: 10:19 am, July 2nd, 2015 - 25 comments

The Social Housing Reform (Transaction Mandate) Bill allows designated Ministers to sell off state houses. Currently Housing New Zealand has no such power. Interestingly however this Government could introduce a Bill with criteria to enable sales to be signed off by the CE of Housing New Zealand but instead they are seeking that power for themselves. But within it there is a fishhook for iwi. UPDATE: comment from Turei and response from Bennett

Will New Zealand social housing soon subsidise Australian social housing?

Written By: - Date published: 2:56 pm, June 29th, 2015 - 58 comments

John Key’s interview on Morning Report this morning suggests that National does not know what it is doing with its social housing policy.  Are we approaching a situation where profits from New Zealand social housing is going to underwrite the cost of Australian social housing?

The stupidest idea this Government has had yet

Written By: - Date published: 9:15 am, June 1st, 2015 - 92 comments

One News has reported that the Government is on the verge of introducing Social Bonds whereby investors in social services will be rewarded if targets are met.

Sky City redux – the house still wins

Written By: - Date published: 8:25 am, May 27th, 2015 - 101 comments

Sky City has managed to persuade the Government to allow it to build a cheaper building while retaining the same valuable gambling regulatory concessions.  Update: and the Government appears to have made further contractual concessions to Sky City.

Human Synergistics, Richard Prebble, and the end of government

Written By: - Date published: 6:08 am, May 17th, 2015 - 64 comments

Back in March 1988 David Lange had a clear idea about what lay ahead for New Zealanders as the long-term consequences of Roger Douglas’ psychopathic worshipping of the metaphysical Invisible Hand gradually materialised.

National Ltd™Plays The Race Card

Written By: - Date published: 9:36 am, May 7th, 2015 - 16 comments

The Auditor General found that no one in National Ltd™, the Māori Party, Te Puni Korkiri, or any other of its apologists can detail exactly what Whānau Ora is supposed to be doing, provide evidence of its outcomes, or explain why up to 33% of the money is being paid in “administration”. In other words, Whānau Ora is a shambles. And dodgy.

Then they came for Child Youth and Family

Written By: - Date published: 8:05 am, April 2nd, 2015 - 162 comments

The Government has appointed Paula Restock to head an expert panel tasked to review Child Youth and Family.  Even now the intent appears clear, outsource functions and cut costs.  But if they were determined to improve matters they should reduce child poverty.